'New' Su-25 Frogfoots Delivered to IRIAF?

I was wondering if anybody might have any details on a recent sale of Su-25 Frogfoot aircraft by Georgia to Iran perhaps? I remember a proposed deal caused a big fuss back in 1995 and, after American pressure, I thought the deal had fallen through. I hadn’t seen it mentioned again, until today, when I came across mention of it again. If anyone knows more (Tom perhaps?) I’d love to hear the latest news please (ie amounts involved and if possibly Su-25KM Scorpions)? MTIA.

Defence Minister Ali Shamkhani denied Wednesday that nuclear experts from Georgia were in Iran, as stated by Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.

“Georgian technicians to maintain and repair Sukhoi fighters are indeed in Iran, but there are no nuclear engineers or space specialists,” Rear-Admiral Shamkhani told journalists after a cabinet meeting.

Shevardnadze’s press service quoted him Tuesday as saying that nuclear experts from his country are in Iran, but he said they came from the separatist territory of Abkhazia, which has declared de facto independence from Tbilisi.

Original Story:

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze has admitted that nuclear experts from his country are in Iran, his press service said on Tuesday.

But the Georgian leader pointed out that the experts came from the separatist territory of Abkhazia, which has declared de facto independence from Tbilisi.

Shevardnadze said “qualified specialists formerly from the famous Sukhumi institute” were in Iran, adding that Tblisi had “warned the US administration about (Sukhumi) on several occasions”, the service reported Shevardnadze as saying in his weekly address to the nation on Monday.

The physics institute in Sukhumi, which has been outside Tbilisi’s control since Abkhazia split during a 1992-93 conflict, was specialised in uranium enrichment for military use.

“This must be resolved in such a way that neither Iran nor the United States are displeased,” Shevardnadze said.

“We should refrain from selling weapons to countries suspected of possessing or seeking to acquire atomic bombs,” he added.

Shevardnadze also said Georgian aircraft engineers had worked in Iran to assist with the delivery of Sukhoi-25 fighters, a sale which sparked protests from Washington.

Iran, which Washington has branded as part of an “axis of evil” along with Iraq and North Korea, is accused by the United States of trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Source: Iran Mania News (14th & 15th January, 2003)
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Steve ~ Touchdown-News